What is the Suffolk County Red Light Safety Program?
The county has installed cameras at up to fifty red light intersections as part of the Suffolk County Red Light Safety Program. Reach out to a Suffolk County personal injury lawyer for more information. Chances are good that there’s one near where you live or work on Long Island. This red-light safety program and the laws affected by it are intended to curb bad driver behavior by using automated enforcement.
Get answers to the following questions:
- What is the fine for getting caught by a red light camera?
- How to Pay Red Light Tickets
- How long has the program been in effect?
- Are intersections recorded in Suffolk County?
- Do intersection cameras record accidents?
- Can you get the intersection camera footage?
- How long do intersection cameras keep footage?
- Can You Order Traffic Camera Footage in Suffolk County?
- Can you request street camera footage?
- How do you request a video from intersection cameras?
- How can a lawyer help me?
What is the fine for getting caught by a red light camera?
The red light camera fine is:
- $50 with no points assessed
- $30 administrative fee
- $25 additional late fee if not paid by the date on the ticket
As of December 2022, Suffolk County legislator Rob Trotta has sponsored a bill intending to do away with the $30 administrative fee. It remains to be seen whether this surcharge, deemed unconstitutional by a Supreme Court judge in 2020, will remain a part of the program in other counties.
How to Pay a Suffolk County Red Light Ticket
If you are caught by one of the county’s red-light cameras, you can pay your fines in person at:
Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency
Lee Dennison Building
100 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
The parking and violations agency will allow you to pay your fine with cash, money order, or credit card. You can also pay your fines online, by mail, or by phone using your credit card.
Keep in mind that if you pay by check, and it’s declined, you will be assessed a $20 administration fee on top of whatever fines you may have for any other traffic and parking violations.
If you don’t pay the fine from your red light camera ticket before the due date of the “Notice of Liability,” it’s equivalent to admitting that you’re guilty of running red lights. Additionally, if you have requested a hearing and fail to appear, you will also waive your right to further appeal the ticket.
By issuing motorists automated fines where a violation is recorded, Suffolk County hopes to make traffic safer. The fees assessed provide a valuable deterrent to vehicle-related violations that result in crashes.
How long has the program been in effect?
The county’s red-light camera program started in 2010. It’s not intended to generate revenue but rather to increase safety. In 2009, data showed that 676 people were killed by drivers running lights, and an estimated 113,000 were injured. With this program, the county hopes to stop more of these tragedies from happening and lessen the number of motorists injured yearly.
The program is in line with current law and was authorized by New York State. From 2015-2019, Suffolk County cameras recorded 1,200 accidents on average each year. The success of this program in reducing crashes and other related vehicle accidents suggests that there’s no sign of this program ending anytime soon.
How does a red light camera work in Suffolk County?
Are intersections recorded in Suffolk County?
In most cases, a red light camera positioned at an intersection or along a road does not record anything. Cameras at intersections are only in place to monitor traffic flow. These recordings may not be your best route if you’re trying to determine liability in an accident.
The police in Suffolk County will sometimes monitor these intersection cameras and may even capture some of the footage for public safety reports. So unless you had an accident when they were gathering footage for their public safety report, there’s little chance your collision was photographed.
Do intersection cameras record accidents?
A red light camera typically only captures a photo or two when its sensors detect a driver or drivers running a red light or making an illegal turn. When there’s no violation, a red light camera will lie dormant. However, these cameras seldom show which drivers may or may not be at fault in a given accident.
Can you get intersection camera footage?
According to the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, cameras record:
- the vehicle speed
- date and time of the violation
- time elapsed since the start of the red signal
The cameras take video along with two images of the vehicle passing through the red light. Note that the driver of the vehicle is not photographed. This footage can be reviewed online once you have the citation number and PIN printed on the citation you receive in the mail.
How long do intersection cameras keep footage?
If you are hit by a motor vehicle that failed to stop at a light or stop sign, you’ll want to obtain footage of the incident. Should you then choose to file a personal injury claim, you’ll need to move fast. Often, it’s quickly deleted or recorded over (if it’s recorded at all). Your lawyer will act quickly to preserve this important evidence whenever possible.
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Can You Order Traffic Camera Footage in Suffolk County?
Getting traffic camera footage to use as evidence, even if you weren’t at fault, can be difficult. In most cases, you must either; be a licensed law enforcement officer or you will need to contact a lawyer for help.
Find out how to order traffic camera footage elsewhere on Long Island and how to order traffic camera footage in Nassau County.
Can you request street camera footage?
To view footage from a Suffolk County red light camera violation, you’ll need the citation number and PIN from the citation you receive in the mail. With these pieces of information, you can log in at public.cite-web.com.
How do you request a video from intersection cameras?
Requesting the video, except in rare situations, is only sometimes possible. More often than not, these cameras are only used in real-time monitoring of traffic conditions in order to keep tabs on traffic flow and adjust traffic signals throughout the day.
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How can a car accident lawyer help me?
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a driver running a red light, an experienced Long Island car accident attorney can help. By moving quickly, your attorney can try to preserve and acquire valuable video evidence that could otherwise be lost. Further, you may not need video evidence to prove your case. A lawyer from our firm can evaluate the specifics of your accident to determine how to prove liability in your particular circumstances.
Please contact the attorneys and Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. for a free consultation.
